Stay Healthy This Flu Season
Flu season is in full swing, with influenza activity "widespread" in Colorado, according to the state health department. But it’s not too late to protect yourself and your children by getting a flu vaccination and practicing common-sense germ prevention.
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu," is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract. The flu is often confused with the common cold, but flu symptoms tend to develop quickly and are usually more severe than the typical sneezing and congestion of a cold.
Cases of the flu spiked this year as new strains emerged that did not directly match the current vaccine. But experts say that a flu vaccine is still worthwhile, and it’s not too late to get one because flu season can last through May.
Influenza vaccine is "trivalent," meaning it protects against three different stains of the virus, says Roberta Smith, RN, an infection control nurse at Children's Hospital Colorado.
"So, even if one strain has ‘drifted’ from what is contained in the vaccine, you still have protection against other circulating viruses," Smith says. "Additionally, even when influenza vaccine is not a perfect match, if you do get influenza, your symptoms are much less severe than had you not received an influenza immunization. It is certainly not too late to be vaccinated against influenza."
You're in Good Hands at Children's Hospital Colorado
The new Children’s Hospital, located near I-225 and East Colfax Avenue, was designed from the ground-up to ease the stress of hospitalization, promote healing and prevent the spread of germs. During "respiratory season," we limit the number of visitors in each patient room at one time. We require that guests who are ill avoid visiting patients in the hospital, and we screen visiting children for contagious illnesses so they don’t spread to others.
Nearly all patient rooms are private, which helps keep patients and families together in one unit, preventing exposure to other people.
"Children get viral infections, but we know how to keep them from spreading within the hospital," says Chris Nyquist, MD, an infectious diseases specialist at Children's Hospital Colorado. "For staff, two of the means to do this are washing hands before and after seeing patients, and wearing protective garments when in contact with infected patients in the hospital."
With increased capacity, special isolation rooms to protect patients and family members, and one of the shortest door-to-doctor wait times of any children’s hospital in the country, our Emergency Department is ready to treat the most serious cases of the season. In fact, Children's Hospital Colorado was named No. 5 in the nation for emergency care by Child magazine in 2007.
Common-Sense Prevention
Common-sense precautions such as frequent hand washing can help prevent the spread of contagious illnesses such as influenza.
"Be smart about washing your hands, and avoid exposing other people when you are sick," Dr. Nyquist says. "If you are sick but hoped to visit a friend or family member in the hospital, send an online cheer card instead."
To help stop the spread of germs:
- Get your annual flu vaccination.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
- Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
- Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing, before eating, and after using the restroom.
- Wash with soap and water, scrubbing for 20 seconds or as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
- Clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner when a sink is not available or your hands are not visibly soiled.
Who Should Be Vaccinated?
At Children's Hospital Colorado, our goal is to vaccinate all children for whom the flu vaccine is recommended. And because our family-centered care philosophy treats parents and siblings as partners in health, our influenza vaccination program extends to household family members at no charge, while supplies last.
We recommend that the following people receive flu vaccine:
- All healthcare workers in hospitals and outpatient/community/homecare settings
- All children ages 6 to 59 months and their household contacts or out-of-home caregivers
- All children and adults who have chronic disorders of the pulmonary or cardiovascular systems, including children with asthma
- All children and adults who require regular medical visits due to chronic metabolic diseases, renal dysfunction, hemoglobinopathies, or immunosuppression, including persons with HIV
- Children and teens (6 months – 18 years) who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and might be at risk for Reyes syndrome after influenza infection
- Household members (including siblings and out-of-home care providers) of persons in high-risk groups
- Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season
- Persons 50 years or older
- Residents and employees of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities housing persons of age with chronic medical problems
- Anyone wanting to decrease their risk of acquiring influenza infection this year
Myths About Flu Vaccine
There are many myths that people use to avoid getting their annual influenza vaccination. Some people think they don’t need the vaccine because they don’t get sick with the flu. But despite the strength of your immune system, you may unknowingly spread influenza to someone else even without having symptoms.
There is also the longtime myth that the influenza vaccine causes the flu. This is not true. The viruses in the influenza vaccination are either killed (inactivated) or weakened (attenuated), so you cannot get the flu from an influenza vaccination.
The risk of a flu vaccine causing serious harm is extremely small. However, a vaccine – like any medicine – may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it.
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